Library Research Tools

UC Davis Harvest Library Catalog, UC Melvyl Catalog, databases, subject guides, portal

How do I find books...? PDF

Step-by-step guide to finding books on any topic or specific books

How do I find articles...?

Step-by-step guide to finding articles on a topic or specific articles (if you already have a citation or know the author or article title)

Ask a BioAg Librarian

Contact one of the BioAg librarians by email or phone, or use the general BioAg Email Reference form for assistance with your library research.

BioAg Subject Guides

Use the subject guides to select an article database

Librarian Subject Specialists (all)

Contact a Librarian Subject Specialist from the Peter J. Shields Library

Connecting from Off Campus

How to set up your computer and configure your browser in order to use the licensed subscription databases from off campus.

Drop by the 2nd Floor Reference Desk

If you would like in-person assistance, the reference desk is staffed 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM, Monday through Friday, or call the reference desk between 9:00-6:00 at (530) 752‑9862.

Quick Guides & Tutorials

University Library Guides and Tutorials

Guides to the Harvest and Melvyl catalogs, UC-eLinks, bibliographic management software such as Endnote, ProCite and Reference Manager, database searching guides

Agriculture: Before the Databases PDF

A guide to searching the print agriculture literature before the electronic databases: Agricola (1970), CAB (1972), Biosis Previews (1969). An example of searching the early literature for a 1918 publication on California Disease (now known as Pierce's Disease) is illustrated.

Where are the Magazines & Journals PDF

There is no one place for magazines and journals (periodicals) in Shields Library. The Science periodicals are all shelved by call number on the 3rd floor. Current periodicals are shelved next to the reference area, and the back issues are bound and shelved with the books around the third floor. See the PDF file for locations of periodicals in other subject areas.

Understanding Call Numbers PDF

Your guide to shelf location in the library.

UC-eLinks (http://www.cdlib.org/services/info_services/instruct/ucelinks_guide.html)

Just follow the UC-eLinks from the citation to locate print or electronic materials available at UC Davis or other UC campuses. The UC-eLinks are a feature available from most of the licensed databases, allowing you to link to the electronic copy or to the catalog record in the Harvest or Melvyl library catalogs to locate the call number for the item.

Harvest: UC Davis Library Catalog PDF

A quick guide to using the basic search and browse features in the UC Davis catalog.

UC Melvyl Library Catalog PDF

A quick guide to using the basic search in the UC-wide catalog.

University Library Guides and Tutorials

From the Shields Library Instruction Services: guides to the Harvest and Melvyl catalogs, UC-eLinks, bibliographic management software such as Endnote, ProCite and Reference Manager, database searching guides.

CDL: Assorted Instructional Materials

The California Digital Library's collection of online instructional materials (Inside CDL) submitted by various database vendors and librarians from the UC campuses. The collection includes guides and tutorials for databases such as BIOSIS, Pubmed, etc.